Per the report, Pep Guardiola warned his Manchester City players against believing they are “special” after the team secured a domestic cup double and urged them to use the success as a platform to challenge for bigger trophies.
The report says City clinched the FA Cup with a 1-0 win over Chelsea at Wembley on Saturday, following victory in the Carabao Cup final against Arsenal in March. Guardiola told the squad to guard against complacency if they want to recreate the triumphs of previous City teams.
Guardiola was quoted saying that trophies are important but must not be taken for granted: “The most important thing is the trophies are good and you know what it takes to compete and win and experience that but don’t take it for granted.” He added, “Special we are not. The moment that we think [that], we will not be in these places.” The report says the manager reflected on how difficult it is to arrive at finals and then win them.
The report says Guardiola denied his players a celebration on Saturday night, telling them instead to focus on the trip to Bournemouth on Tuesday. The result at the Vitality Stadium will determine whether the Premier League title race with Arsenal goes to the final day, according to the report.
Guardiola suggested the FA Cup win could influence the squad’s mindset for the quick turnaround, saying, “The fatigue will be the same, but the energy will be different.” He added that losing the final would have made the trip to Bournemouth more difficult, and said, “I said take a shower and we’ll go home and then we’ll go to Bournemouth on Monday.”
